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Halloween Mystery Quilt: Intro & Clue #1

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A big orange moon. A cool fall night. Can you hear the howling of the wind in the dark? Do you see the shadows floating through the trees? Wait! I think I hear them coming to the door, characters dressed in holiday glare… Welcome to the Mystery of Halloween, Mystery Quilt Series. We have so many treats in store for you. And, so many clues to give away. You’ll make a great quilt for Halloween display.

This Halloween mystery quilt was designed by former Quilting Daily editor, Kathryn Patterson.


About the Halloween Mystery Quilt Series

During this series, you’ll finish 12” x 12” blocks to make a throw-size 51” x 68” quilt. Clues will be presented weekly, so mark the dates on your calendar. It’s never too late to join in the fun of the Halloween Mystery.

  • Clue 1 – 10/3
  • Clue 2 – 10/10
  • Clue 3 – 10/17
  • Clue 4 – 10/24
  • Clue 5 – 10/31 – The BIG HALLOWEEN REVEAL
mystery-quilt-mystery-of-halloween-clue-3-fabric

Your Shopping List

To get you ready for the 1st clue, here is a shopping list of the fabrics you’ll need to make the quilt. You can create the design with any fabric, but you’ll want to stay with the recommendations for light, medium and dark print and solids. Kathryn, the designer, selected the Elegantly Frightful collection by Northcott Studio and ColorWorks Premium solids by Deborah Edwards for Northcott Studio fabric collections from Northcott to make her quilt.

We list the SKU numbers for the Elegantly Frightful and ColorWorks Premium fabrics below. (ColorWorks fabrics are noted with CW. The other fabrics are from the Elegantly Frightful collection.)

  • Dark, medium-dark, and light solids or tone-on-tones
    • 5/8 yard each
    • Northcott SKU #s: 9000-940, 9030-96, and 9000-100 (CW)
  • Medium-light and bright solids or tone-on-tones
    • 3/8 yard each
    • Northcott SKU #s: 9000-50 (CW) and 9000-242 (CW)
  • Dark print #1
    • 1/2 yard
    • Northcott SKU #: 22201-96
  • Dark print #2
    • 7/8 yard
    • Northcott SKU #: GL22199-99
  • Bright solid
    • 1/2 yard
    • 5/8 yard for binding
    • Northcott SKU #: 9000-242
  • Halloween novelty print
    • 1-1/4 yards
    • Northcott SKU #: 22204-99
  • Backing
    • 3-5/8 yards
    • Northcott SKU #: 22205-93

Mystery Quilt Clue #1: Making the Block X Units

This subtly spooky design will delight kids of all ages and backgrounds. There are no ghosts, witches, or other “supernatural” motifs – everything is nature-based and just creepy-crawly enough to create (and cuddle) a few goosebumps. You will also need twin size batting for this 51” x 68” lap quilt. This design requires only basic cutting, sewing, and pressing tools. Kathryn used contrasting thread in her photos so you can easily see the stitching, but you will want to go with coordinating or neutral thread for best results. Ready for some mysterious fun? Let’s go!

Cutting (for Clue #1)

  • Dark print #2
    • *12 squares 6 1/2” x 6 1/2” (H)
    • 6 squares 5 1/2” x 5 1/2” cut diagonally to yield 12 triangles (G)
    • 6 rectangles 2 1/2” x 4 1/2” (F)
    • 6 rectangles 2 1/2” x 4” (C)
    • 6 rectangles 1 1/2” x 2 1/2” (B)
    • 12 squares 1 1/2” x 1 1/2” (A)
  • Bright solid
    • 3 squares 6 7/8” x 6 7/8” cut diagonally to yield 6 triangles (E)
    • 3 squares 5 3/4” x 5 3/4” cut diagonally twice to yield 12 triangles (D)
    • 6 rectangles 2 1/2” x 4 1/2” (F)
    • 6 rectangles 1 1/2” x 2 1/2” (B)
    • 12 squares 1 1/2” x 1 1/2” (A)

 *H squares will be used in Clue #3.Save all trimmings and remaining fabric for upcoming Clues.

Making the Flying Geese Units

  • Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each dark print #2 and bright solid A.
  • Place a marked dark square on each bright solid B, right sides together, raw edges aligned, and orienting line as shown. Repeat with marked bright solid As on dark print Bs.
  • Stitch just a thread or two to the outer corner side of each line.
  • Press each square open as shown, aligning raw edges.
  • Trim excess fabric from underlying layers, leaving approximately 1/4” seam allowance.
  • Now repeat the process to add another matching A square to each unit.
  • Make 6 each Flying Geese 1 and Flying Geese 2.

You can learn more about creating Flying Geese here.

Making Unit 1

  • Sew a dark print #2 C to the dark edge of each Flying Geese 1.
  • Stitch bright solid D triangles to each side of each pieced strip.
  • Trim the dark print strips even with the bright solid triangles.
  • Sew a bright solid E triangle to each pieced triangle to make Unit 1, which should measure 6 1/2” square. Make 6.

Making Unit 2

  • Sew a dark print #2 F and a bright solid F to each Flying Geese 2.
  • Finger-press the pieced strips and each dark print #2 G triangle in half.
  • Sew a G triangle to each side of each pieced strip, matching folds.
  • Trim the F strips even with the G triangles to complete Unit 2. Make 6.

This concludes Clue #1. Check back next week for Clue #2!

The Halloween Mystery Quilt series originally published August 9, 2018; updated on October 3, 2024. Designed by Kathryn Patterson.


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Join the Conversation!

  1. Could you create a grouping of fabrics that are not the darks halloween maybe some I with tones a bit lighter. I have made several quilts using Halloween novelty prints and that’s really not where my interest is for this quilt. Thanks so much.

    1. I’m with you, I am looking forward to this as well, but have no interest in a Halloween Quilt, will just go with the light, medium, dark in other Northcott fabrics. Looks like fun.

      1. You could always use Christmas prints instead of Halloween. I know they have a lot of Christmas prints out already in many stores. Or use a patriotic theme and use some of the discounted patriotic prints being sold in some stores. Or maybe just a general fall theme. There are lots of ways to go with this Just because it is a mystery quilt, she gives the guidance you choose the fabrics and make it your own. It will be fun either way!